Statement PCP Central Committee

Communiqué of the Central Committee of the PCP of February 29 and March 1st. 2020

The Central Committee of the PCP having met on February 29 and March 1st 2020 , analysed the national political, economic and social situation and the developments of the mass struggle, appreciated aspects of the international situation, and set down guidelines for the Party’s intervention and strengthening lines of action, political initiative and Party strengthening and adopted resolutions on the preparation of the XXI Congress of the PCP and on the celebrations of the Centennial of the Party

I - The situation of the country - features and perspectives

The national reality remains marked by great injustice, inequalities and dependencies that are inseparable from a policy that, for decades, has served the interests of big capital and subjected the country to the impositions of the European Union and the Euro.

The country's structural problems remain unanswered in the options of the PS Government, which, due to the change in the political framework, is freer to intensify central aspects of right-wing policy.

The situation in the country requires a strong and determined intervention by the PCP, acting to resist and move forward, fighting the whitewashing of PSD’s and CDS’s action, denouncing the PS government's options, fighting reactionary projects and forces that, within the framework of their anti-democratic agenda and strategy, instrumentalize dissatisfactions, demanding the strengthening of the Party and the boosting of the struggle for an alternative, patriotic and left-wing policy, to meet the aspirations of the Portuguese workers and people.

II - Intervene and move forward for a patriotic and left-wing policy

1. The first months following the October 6, 2019 elections confirm a political and institutional framework distinct from the previous legislature, highlighting the contradiction between the options that shape the right-wing policy and the answers that the country's situation demands in the economic and social field and in the defence of its sovereignty.

A reality that big capital seeks to take advantage of, reinforcing its power, dominance and influence in Portuguese society, either benefitting from a Government committed to its interests, or sponsoring the whitewashing of PSD and CDS, promoting Chega and the Liberal Initiative parties, and spreading reactionary and anti-democratic conceptions. This process involves the presence of new factors of action and political and ideological diversion, and the recurrent instrumentalization of themes chosen to encourage anti-communist prejudices, using the powerful means of communication that they control.

The Central Committee of the PCP draws attention to the operation that PSD and CDS carry out not only to seek to conceal past responsibilities, but also to recover and rekindle processes of subversion of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic and of the democratic regime, with emphasis on the goal of changing electoral laws, labour legislation, the legal framework, limitations on the right to healthcare and education, and the attack on Social Security.

An operation that, bringing together forces and right-wing parties, PSD, CDS, Chega and Liberal Initiative, gives expression, with different positionings, to the interests and projects of monopoly capital.

Rejecting distortions regarding an alleged “left majority” that never existed, the Central Committee of the PCP reaffirms that the Party will continue its own intervention and initiative, guided by its commitment to the workers and people, determined by its programme and political project. Assuming itself as a force of opposition against everything that contradicts or reverses the rights of the workers and people, and as an indispensable force so that, with its initiative, advancing to achieve new rights, the PCP fights for the implementation of a patriotic and left-wing alternative policy.

2. At the beginning of the third decade of the 21st century, Portugal is a country faced with serious economic and social problems and with deep structural deficits that are at the root of a high external dependency. Amputated from important sovereignty instruments, such as monetary, the country holds a public debt that consumes an important part of its resources. Most companies and strategic sectors, meanwhile privatised, are now under the control of big foreign capital, which already represents 50% of the capital of the 500 largest companies in the country. This situation coexists with a structure of low wages, retirement and pensions.

A reality where profound social injustices prevail. The profits and privileges of a few contrasts with the difficulties, deprivations and poverty of many. Public services, with a shortage of thousands of workers, are struggling with situations of disruption - in hospitals, schools, courts and security forces. Problems of enormous social sensitivity emerge and become more acute, namely in access to housing (with an unbearable increase in prices and lack of public offer), day-care centres or care for the elderly. Public investment - despite a slight reanimation - remains at levels that are clearly insufficient (comparable to those of 1995) to meet the need to replace wear and tear on equipment and infrastructure, let alone to solve problems that have been going on for decades as recently witnessed in the flooding of the Lower Mondego river. The means, which are always scarce when it comes to guaranteeing the rights of the workers and people, abound when it comes to granting benefits and privileges to big capital, namely through support to private banking, Public Private Partnerships or massive tax benefits.

These stand out in the economic reality: the insufficient pace of economic growth present since the integration in the Euro, and the growth of 2.2% of the GDP achieved in 2019, still results from the effect of measures adopted in the new phase of national political life; the growing negative evolution of the trade balance, reflecting the weaknesses of the national productive apparatus and the impositions of the EU; the continuous outflow of capital and the deepening of the process of growing dominance of the economy from abroad, of which the banking sector, which is increasingly concentrated and controlled by large Spanish capital, which last month expanded its dominance with the acquisition of EuroBic (ex-BPN) by Abanca.

Faced with an external economic environment characterised by a high degree of uncertainty, the Central Committee of the PCP draws attention to the risks that are posed to the evolution of the national economy, given its high dependence and structural weaknesses.

3. The State Budget proposal for 2020 was marked by shortcomings and limitations that result from the options of the PS and its government, either by setting the objective of achieving a budget surplus, or due to the priority given to the interests of big capital, to the detriment of the answer to the structural problems in the country and the needs of the workers and people. Despite the approval, in the stage of the discussion of specifics, of a set of positive measures inseparable from the initiative and contribution of the PCP, the contrast with the pace and scope of the measures implemented in the Budgets of the previous legislature and, above all, the continued absence of response to structural problems grow and worsen.

PCP's abstention in the global final vote on the State Budget proposal expressed a political position that distances itself from the PS government's options reflected in it. However, it was confirmed that, in a context in which PCP's intervention and proposals did not weigh decisively for its approval, they were decisive for what was positive in the State Budget introduced in its final version.

Among other measures that stand out resulting from PCP's intervention or initiative, we have: the materialisation, for the fourth consecutive year, of a 6 and 10 € extra increase in retirement pensions; the implementation of free day-care for families in the first bracket [of income] and for families in the second bracket after the second child; the creation of the National Laboratory of, Medicines, based on the present military laboratory; the elimination of user fees in primary healthcare, in compliance with what was already acquired with the recent Basic Law on Healthcare; the commitment to hire workers for the NHS; strengthening palliative care with the creation of more community teams; the setting down from the next school year onwards of the handing of new textbooks (without return) to all children of the 1st cycle; reduction of tuition fees for university degrees; expanding access to scholarships for school social action in higher education; the commitment to hire 2,500 staff for security forces and services; more funds to consolidate and expand the cut in the price of social transport passes throughout the country; support for the modernization of the taxi sector; the option to prioritize the expansion of the Metro network to Loures and Alcântara; the extension until 2023 of the so-called regulated electricity tariffs; doubling of scholarships for literary creation; support for the National Resistance and Freedom Museum in the Fort of Peniche; the requalification of the Camões Theatre; counting the length of service to calculate the pension of fishermen; the freezing of judicial costs and the extension of exemptions in court fees.

4. The government continues its action to favour the interests of monopoly groups. In the rail sector, at the end of 2019 it renewed the Public Private Partnership with Fertagus, of the Barraqueiro group; in the airports, it fully yields to the interests of the multinational Vinci, imposing the Montijo Air Base and maintaining Portela, to the detriment of a future solution, built in a phased manner, at the Alcochete Shooting Range; in healthcare, it has just announced the launching of a tender for a new Public Private Partnership in the management of Cascais Hospital; in banking, the transfer of public funds to Novo Banco continues, with the prospect that more than 800 million euros to be handed later this year; in the postal service, it refuses to regain public control over CTT (in the year - 2020 - when the postal service concession ends); high yield and high-value assets not only remain untouched, but instruments in favour of an ever greater concentration of wealth continue to be implemented, either through taxation or public and community funds currently under execution.

From justice in the distribution of income to fight territorial inequalities, from the response to poverty and demographic problems, from revitalisation of the domestic market to the development model to be adopted, the issue of wages is at the centre of the political options that are currently under way. The PS government and big employers are articulating, in convergence with PSD, CDS, Chega and Liberal Initiative, not only to prevent the increase in wages from being assumed as a national emergency, but to deepen exploitation. This is the case when: the increase in the National Minimum Wage is limited, imposing € 635, instead of assuming the objective of € 850; the blocking of collective bargaining is promoted, maintaining the expiry of contracts and not restoring the principle of more favourable treatment to the worker; a proposal for a 0.3% wage increase is presented to the Public Administration after 10 years of wage freeze, not ensuring the recovery of lost purchasing power.

5. The Central Committee of the PCP denounces the option of the PS which, in convergence with PSD, CDS, PAN, Chega and Liberal Initiative, once again refused the proposal to move towards Regionalization, voting against the Draft Resolution that the PCP took to the Assembly of the Republic. A stand that is not concealed either by rhetoric or by resorting to different types of manoeuvres, namely with the so-called democratization of the Regional Coordination and Development Commissions - CCDR - or with the so-called decentralization process, which is no less than taking away responsibility from the central administration and delegation of power and responsibilities to the municipalities, something the democratic Local Power has increasingly opposed..

The Central Committee of the PCP denounces the attempt to politically implement the theme of provoking anticipation of death. In view of the general adoption of the various diplomas with this aim - of the PS, BE, PAN, PEV and Liberal Initiative -, the Party expressed, with well-founded reasons, its opposition to these proposals, reaffirming the reflections and positions it had already expressed when this issue was raised in June 2018 and opposes a referendum on this matter, which is particularly sensitive and complex, and susceptible to all types of instrumentalization.

The Central Committee of the PCP considers that, in the face of any manifestations of racism and xenophobia, what is required is a firm condemnation and combat against the causes that give them ground. The Central Committee of the PCP simultaneously warns of the growing exacerbation and promotion of racial conflicts artificially instilled in Portuguese society through different forms and agents, which only benefit those who seek to take advantage of cleavages, divisions and injustices in Portuguese society.

In view of developments in the Covid-19 (“corona virus”) epidemic in the country, the Central Committee of the PCP stresses that, more than a sensationalist and alarmist approach, what is needed are measures of prevention and enabling the NHS - the only and real instrument for an adequate, universal and ready response to the situation.

6. The national situation highlights the need to ensure a policy that fully responds to the country's problems. Portugal needs a different course, in rupture with the right-wing policy that the PS, PSD and CDS governments have pursued for years, and to ensure the instruments necessary for its sovereign development, with the disengagement from external impositions and its submission to the interests of big capital.

A patriotic and left-wing policy that has as its main objectives: the liberation of the country from submission to the Euro and the impositions and constraints of the European Union as a component of the affirmation of a free and sovereign Portugal; the renegotiation of public debt; the valorisation of work and workers; the defence and promotion of national production and of the productive sectors; the guarantee of public control of banks and the recovery for the public sector of the basic and strategic sectors of the economy; the guarantee of a public administration and services at the service of the people and the country; the defence of a fiscal justice policy that eases taxation on the income of the workers and people, fight tax havens and breaks with the scandalous favouring of big capital; the defence of the democratic regime and compliance with the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, the deepening of rights, freedoms and guarantees, the fight against corruption and the implementation of an independent and accessible justice for all.

Not waiving an intervention on concrete problems that respond to the most immediate satisfaction of the interests of the workers and people, the Central Committee of the PCP stresses that the struggle for a political alternative, inseparable from the strengthening and action of the Party, the mass struggle and the convergence of democrats and patriots, is the indispensable condition for a full response to national problems.

III - Develop the struggle, strengthen the mass organisations

1. The Central Committee of the PCP values the important movement of workers' struggle that has developed in recent months, in the public and private sectors, in defence of the increase in wages, decent working hours, professions and careers, collective bargaining, against precariousness, and for rights and better working conditions.

An outpour of struggles that stand out due to their size and combativeness: the National Public Administration Demonstration and the National Strike of large distribution centres, both on January 31, and also the struggles of nurses, NHS operational assistants, teachers, non-teaching staff in schools, former scholarship holders from the University of Minho, workers from Vista Alegre Atlantis, Glovo, Cervejaria Galiza, public slaughterhouses in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, Apapol, Autoneum, Trofa Saúde, ISGGroup, TST, Plural, WeMob, teaching and scholarship researchers, hotels, Herdmar, Sines Refinery, prison canteens managed by Uniself, miners and quarry workers, the EGF/Mota Engil Group, Kyaia, the dockworkers of the Port of Lisbon, the drivers of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Lisbon, the mercies of Moscavide and Olhão, the Child Welfare Center of Vila Franca de Xira, Lidl, SBSI/SAMS, SOMELOS Mix, Águas de Portugal Group, CTT, Pizza Hut, SousaCamp, SUCH, passenger transport, Portway, EDP Contact Center, the waste sector, technicians from the Social Reinsertion Institute, TVI, INATEL, among many others.

A struggle that prevented setbacks and ensured, in many companies and workplaces, pay raises, integration of workers, reduction of working hours, restoration and achievement of new rights, even facing the employer's repression, proving that it is always worth fighting for.

A determined action by workers that animates and energizes the struggle of the populations in defence of the National Health Service, the right to mobility and public transport, to public schools. The struggles of students, in defence of better conditions and more staff in schools. The actions of pensioners and retirees, promoted by MURPI, for decent increases in pensions, and small and medium-sized farmers in defence of their income, as well as the actions carried out in Lisbon and Oporto for Peace and against NATO, promoted by CPPC.

2. Stressing that none of the rights that are a heritage of the workers has been offered, either by capital or by governments, but won through their unity, organisation and struggle, the Central Committee of the PCP draws attention to the many struggles that will continue with the dynamism and intensification of the claiming action in companies and workplaces: in defence of the general increase in wages, with increases of 90 € for all workers in 2020 and the increase of the National Minimum Wage to 850 €; to reduce the weekly working hours to 35 hours for all workers; against the deregulation of working times; against precariousness and so that each permanent job corresponds to an effective employment contract; in defence of collective bargaining; to revoke the grievous norms of the labour code, namely the expiry of collective bargaining and by restoring the principle of more favourable treatment to workers.

A struggle that will have important moments of convergence in the coming months, which require the mobilization and commitment of the entire party organisation, namely: the National Demonstration of Women, on March 8, in Lisbon, in the scope of the International Women's Day celebrations, convened by MDM under the motto “The strength of unity in defence of women's rights and for peace in the world”, The week for Equality, from March 2 to 6, under the motto “Quality employment - living and fighting for equality” promoted by CGTP-IN, among other initiatives; the National Demonstration of Working Youth, on March 26, in Lisbon, under the motto “Youth with a future! More stability, better wages” promoted by CGTP-IN/Interjovem; the popular celebrations of the 46th. anniversary of April 25; and the great day of struggle on May 1st., Labour Day, organised by CGTP-IN, in the multiple actions that will be carried out throughout the country, making this a high point of the action and struggle of all workers, bringing to the forefront the denunciation of all attacks on their rights and the assertion of all their claims.

This is a struggle that needs to be stimulated based on the involvement of populations, youth, small and medium-sizes farmers and entrepreneurs, in defence of their legitimate rights.

3. The Central Committee of the PCP congratulates CGTP-IN, the great trade union central of the Portuguese workers, for the success of its XIV Congress, which confirms it as the staunchest and consequent unitary structure for the defence of the interests, rights and aspirations of Portuguese workers, in defence of better wages, decent working hours, better working conditions, the fight against precariousness and the defence of collective bargaining, for the fight against exploitation. A Congress that reaffirmed CGTP-IN as essential to defend workers' class interests against exploitation and for their full emancipation, in the present times.

IV - The international situation and the struggle of workers and peoples

1.The Central Committee of the PCP emphasizes the growing instability and insecurity of the international situation essentially determined by the deepening of the structural crisis of capitalism and by the violent and dangerous offensive of imperialism that aims to maintain its hegemonic dominance, curb the peoples’ struggle for sovereignty and rights and to counter positive trends that appear in the complex process of rearrangement of forces at the international level.

The Central Committee of the PCP draws attention to the appearance of serious problems in the world economy, inseparable from the contradictions surrounding the capitalist system, namely: downward revision of world growth rates (2.9% in 2019, the lowest since 2009) and risks of recession in some of the main capitalist powers; contraction of international trade and retractions in industrial production rates in the most developed economies, namely Germany; growth of social inequalities; limitations of so-called “fiscal and monetary stimulus” policies; record levels of indebtedness (namely in the G20 economies); or the increasing hypertrophy of the financial area.

The Central Committee of the PCP alerts to the attempts to instrumentalize the situation created by the epidemic outbreak of Covid-19 (“corona virus”), to try to mask the systemic causes that are at the root of the deterioration of the world economic situation, to counter just claims and aspirations of the workers and undertake new attacks on rights.

2. The Central Committee of the PCP draws attention to the ongoing ideological manoeuvres of whitewashing of capitalism - namely with statements about the “failure of neoliberalism”, the “exaggerations of globalisation” or the need for “responsible capitalism, of all stakeholders”, led by sectors of the right and social democracy that, together with the instrumentalization of just environmental concerns and the attempt to appropriate and monopolize scientific and technological achievements, aims to maintain and deepen the exploitation and oppression and develop new processes of capitalist restoration and reproduction.

The evolution of the situation in some of the imperialist poles confirms deep contradictions and manifestations of crisis in the systems and structures of the political power of big capital. Examples of this are: the evolution of the political situation in the USA; the growing political instability in Germany; the growing recourse to populism, manipulation, extreme right-wing forces and fascism; or the crisis of the capitalist integration process in the European Union.

The Central Committee of the PCP underlines the great dangers arising from the deepening of militaristic and warmongering policies of imperialism - in particular of US imperialism - which intensifies the arms race, multiplies interference and aggression and pursues a clear disregard of international law, violation of international agreements and UN resolutions. It also warns of the consequences of the US economic and technological war against several countries of the world, namely against the People's Republic of China.

The Central Committee of the PCP draws attention to the ongoing operations which, namely under the pretext of the changes resulting from the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, materializing the sovereign will of the British people, aim at deepening the neoliberal, militaristic and federalist pillars of the EU and the imposition of an even more subordinate role on countries like Portugal. Such is the case with the unacceptable European Union Budget proposal for the period 2021-2027, determined by the interests and positions of the main European powers, particularly detrimental to the interests of Portugal and proving the fallacy of “cohesion and solidarity” speeches in the EU.

3.The Central Committee of the PCP condemns the holding of US and NATO military exercises in April and May on the European continent, which constitute a serious step of provocation and confrontation against the Russian Federation, and calls for the mobilisation of the workers and Portuguese people in defence of Peace, for the dissolution of NATO and against the arms race.

In the year that marks the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi-fascism, the Central Committee of the PCP stresses the importance of the fight against militarism, war and fascism, as well as the fight against historical revisionism, anti-communism and the whitewashing of fascism associated with it.

The Central Committee of the PCP strongly condemns the attack by the US in Iraq, which resulted in the murder of a senior Iranian military leader; the manoeuvres aimed at destabilizing countries like Iraq or Lebanon; the continuation of Saudi Arabia's aggression against Yemen. Turkey's aggression against Syria is particularly serious, which, together with the illegal military presence and occupation by the US and Israel of Syrian territories, aims to prevent the stabilization of that country and the exercise of sovereignty over all its territory.

The Central Committee of the PCP reiterates its condemnation of the so-called “Deal of the Century” on Palestine, proposed by the Trump administration, a real provocation to the rights of the Palestinian people and to international law, which aims to give coverage to the state terrorism policy by the government of Israel and which, if applied, would mean abandoning any path to a just and peaceful solution to the Palestinian issue based on UN Resolutions.

The Central Committee of the PCP reiterates the Party's solidarity with the peoples of Latin America who are resisting a violent offensive by imperialism aimed at reversing important achievements of sovereignty and social progress and regaining control of the subcontinent. In particular, it condemns the intensification of the blockade against Cuba and the continuation of destabilization and aggression against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. The Portuguese Government's stance towards Venezuela, of which the case of Guaidó's passage through national territory and the conditions for his boarding TAP is the most recent example, represents an attitude and position contrary to national interests and of the Portuguese community in Venezuela and is not in accordance with the principles of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic.

The Central Committee of the PCP reaffirms the Party's solidarity with the populations affected by the Covid-19 epidemic (“corona virus”), valuing the responses that were assumed by the Chinese State.

The Central Committee of the PCP expresses the Party's solidarity with all peoples who, in various countries and in all continents, carry out growing and important struggles in defence of their labour and social rights - as is the case of several struggles that have been taking place in Europe and other regions, such as Latin America or Asia - in defence of their national rights and for solutions to serious problems of humanity, such as social inequalities and environmental degradation.

4.The great instability and danger of the international situation calls upon all democratic, progressive and revolutionary forces, with different realities, paths and history, to converge in wide-ranging anti-imperialist actions, for peace, social justice and the rights of peoples.

The Central Committee of the PCP reaffirms PCP's determination to contribute to strengthening the International Communist and Revolutionary Movement and the anti-imperialist front

V - Strengthen the Party, enhance its role and identity, affirm its action and project

1. The PCP, at a time when the celebrations of its 99th. anniversary begin, is the indispensable force for the workers and the people, who can count on a Party that is confident, combative and determined to fulfil its role, reaffirming its identity, intervening for the materialization of an alternative patriotic and left-wing policy, for an advanced democracy and with socialism and communism on the horizon.

The Central Committee of the PCP reaffirms the need to continue strengthening the Party, namely its organic reinforcement, articulated with its political intervention and initiative.

2. The Central Committee of the PCP firstly highlights as a priority for strengthening the Party the conclusion of the action "5,000 contacts with workers" by the end of March, an objective which, being within the reach of the Party, requires the taking of appropriate measures and concentration of efforts by the entire organisation.

3. The preparation of the XXI Congress of the PCP, which will take place on November 27, 28 and 29 at the Peace and Friendship Pavilion, in Loures, under the motto «Organise, Struggle, Advance - Democracy and Socialism», takes priority with the adoption of a Resolution by the Central Committee of the PCP where the methodology, phasing and objectives are defined, and where a set of central issues are pointed out for the initial debate regarding the essential aspects to be included in the preparation of the Theses - Draft Political Resolution.

4. The Central Committee of the PCP adopted a resolution on the celebrations of the Centennial of the PCP, which will take place under the motto “Freedom, Democracy, Socialism - The future has a Party”.

The celebrations, which will be launched on March 6, 2020 at the rally at the Carlos Lopes Pavilion, in Lisbon, will run until March 6, 2022.

The celebrations of the Centennial should include a broad programme of reinforcement of the Party in terms of leadership, cadres, political and ideological formation, affirmation of the principles of functioning, structuring and organisation, with particular emphasis on the action and organisation with the working class and workers in companies and workplaces, the recruitment and integration of new militants, the dissemination of the party press, namely Avante!, the means of propaganda and communication, the financial means to ensure the independence of the Party and the deepening of its connection to the masses.

Among the various measures to strengthen the party organisation, within the scope of the Centennial, the following stand out:

The development of an intense action of accountability of cadres;

  • The strengthening of the Party's organisation in companies and workplaces, with the aim of creating 100 new company, workplace or sector cells, by March 2021, as well as giving responsibilities to 100 new comrades in the task of monitoring of cells;
  • The increase in contributions, asking each Party member to increase their dues to at least one euro - regardless of the reference of 1% of income for establishing the monthly dues -, pointing the goal of having the dues up-to-date and the need to increase the number of comrades with the responsibility of collecting dues and expanding the use of other means available for their regular payment, namely through bank transfer;
  • The holding, in the context of the PCP’s Centennial, of a national campaign of funds, “The future has a Party”, starting in April 2020 and which will run until May 2021.

5. The Central Committee of the PCP stresses the important political intervention of the Party over the past few months, with emphasis on the launch of the campaign “Valorise work and the workers. No to exploitation!”, the action and local initiative of the organisations, the institutional intervention of the PCP in the Assembly of the Republic and in the European Parliament or the action of the elected representatives of the CDU in the municipalities. An intervention that should continue, namely with:

  • The celebrations of PCP's 99th. anniversary all around the country, with emphasis on the rallies in Lisbon on March 6 and in Porto on March 14, lunch in Seixal on March 15, the dinner rally in Madeira on March 20 and lunch in Alentejo on March 22;
  • The celebration of the 150th. anniversary of the birth of Lenin, with emphasis on the Conference to be held on March 28 at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Lisbon, under the motto “Lenin - revolutionary legacy and the struggle for democracy and socialism today”;
  • The holding of the XI Congress of PCP’s Organisation of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, on April 4 and 5;
  • The holding of the National Meeting of Culture on April 18;
  • The implementation of the necessary measures for the organisation of the 44th. Avante! Festival, to be held on September 4,5 and 6, 2020, which requires the commitment, straightaway, in the tasks of preparation and general calendarisation, dissemination and anticipated sale of EP;
  • The continuation of the campaign “Valorise work and the workers. No to exploitation!” taking the Party's contact, intervention and proposal as far as possible, setting intervention priorities and stimulating the struggle and claiming action.
  • The implementation of the action of the national affirmation of the CDU, which, inserted in the general framework of the Party's action, will confirm the CDU as a space for the participation of men and women committed to a distinctive project, which is affirmed by its commitment to collective interests, with development, with proven work, with honesty and competence.

***

The Central Committee of the PCP underlines, at a particularly demanding time for its political intervention with Portuguese workers and people, and when both the first preparatory phase of the XXI Party Congress and the celebrations of its Centennial begin, the importance of determination of the party collective to carry out the tasks that ensure a stronger Party. Bearing a unique history and path at the service of the workers, the people and the country, it is with the eyes set on the future that the Party continues its action, fighting in the present for a political, patriotic and left-wing alternative, for an advanced democracy inspired by the values of April and with socialism and communism on the horizon, objectives that are the future of Portugal.